Sleep apnea overview

Overview

Sleep apnea, sleep apnoea or sleep apnœa is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. These episodes, called apneas (literally, "without breath"), each last long enough so one or more breaths are missed, and occur repeatedly throughout sleep. The standard definition of any apneic event includes a minimum 10 second interval between breaths, with either a neurological arousal (3-second or greater shift in EEG frequency, measured at C3, C4, O1, or O2), or a blood oxygen desaturation of 3-4 percent or greater, or both arousal and desaturation. Sleep apnea is not age specific. It can affect anyone from childhood up to old age. Both men and women can develop sleep apnea, but it is more common to men; particularly middle-age men who are also overweight. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram. There are two distinct forms of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive sleep apnea, which is more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax.
• Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

Additionally, some people have complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of both. Regardless of type, the individual with sleep apnea is rarely aware of having difficulty breathing, even upon awakening. Sleep apnea is recognized as a problem by others witnessing the individual during episodes or is suspected because of its effects on the body (sequelae). Symptoms may be present for years, even decades without identification, during which time the sufferer may become conditioned to the daytime sleepiness and fatigue associated with significant levels of sleep disturbance.